Glenn Tenney (mailto: dvd060623 at think dot org) has produced
a DVD video documentary following Lester Tenney's return to Japan to visit
the coal mine where he
was a POW. You'll be able to watch and listen as Lester Tenney remembers
his experiences of World War II beginning when his National Guard unit arrived
in the Philippines a week before the start of the war, through the Bataan
Death March, his witnessing the atomic bomb at Nagasaki, what it was
like to return to the U.S. afterward -- and how he has learned to forgive
and get on with his life.
Watch the two minute trailer of "Return To Hell" now.

Dr. Lester Tenney survived the Bataan
Death March (April 1942, Phillipines). After arriving at Camp O'Donnell
he escaped into the jungles of the Philippines, and was recaptured
days later. He survived the "hell ships", a month-long voyage
in the hold of a ship from the Phillipines to Omuta. There, he was
slave labor as a POW in a coal mine. He witnessed the atomic bomb blast
at Nagasaki from the prison camp across the bay from Nagasaki, which
ended the war for him a day later.

12 September 2010 -- Les Tenney leads a group of six survivors back to Japan paid for by the Japanese government

The San Diego Union Tribune had a piece about this amazing trip -- amazing in that it ever happened, but it is happening due to Les Tenney's relentless push with the U.S. State Department and the Japanese government

... "A Bataan Death March survivor, Tenney arrived in Tokyo Sunday with five other former POWs and eight family members, the first American delegation in the “Peace, Friendship and Exchange Initiative.”

They’ll be met with exquisite hospitality. They’ll be hit with painful emotions." ...

Sixty years ago today, World War II came to an abrupt end, similar
in
many respects to the abrupt beginning on that fateful day in December
1941. Between the beginning of this war and its formal ending on
Sept. 2, 1945, there were many events that have remained in our
memory, events of horror and deprivation, events of death and dying,
events of pain and suffering, events of happiness and humility.

During the period
between the fall of the Philippines and the end of
hostilities there was the Bataan Death March, where thousands of
Americans were slaughtered like cattle, where thousands more who were
healthy enough to become slave laborers were forced to travel to Japan
on Hell Ships on which the Japanese forbade Red Cross markings to
identify them as carrying American POWs. American planes and warships,
not knowing that Americans were on board these freighters, bombed and
torpedoed them, turning them into sailing coffins, putting thousands
of Americans into a watery grave. Those of us who survived this ordeal
ended up in Japan, forced to shovel coal in dangerous coal mines, or
working untold hours in zinc mines or on loading docks, or forced to
manufacture war supplies for the enemy. These tragic events took the
lives of hundreds more Americans who waited patiently for the war to
end. It was these tragic events that caused us to bring a lawsuit
against the Japanese companies that enslaved and abused us. Yet we
were turned back, turned back by our own State Department, which chose
to defend the Japanese actions.

You see, the war has ended, but the memory lingers
on.

Let me explain. My fight against the Japanese company that abused and
tortured me is not about money. It has never been about money. It has
been about honor, dignity and responsibility. Like the great country
of Japan, we too take pride in our honor and dignity, but it was taken
from us, and now we want it restored, restored by those who violated
our rights as human beings. We want those who abused us and stole our
honor to accept their responsibility, which would be the honorable
thing to do. And as we all know, Japan sees itself as the epitome and
creator of the meaning of honor. The Supreme Court, after hearing from
our State Department, recently decided not to allow our case to be
heard in a court of law. I would hope that in spite of the court's
decision, Japan will want to solve the problem of responsibility,
which will then restore its noble place among nations and show the
world that honor and responsibility are the ingredients necessary to
entitle it to a seat on the U.N. Security Council.

If Japan, and the companies
that abused American POWs, do not accept
responsibility, they should never be allowed a seat and a vote on the
Security Council. Without an offer of remorse, without a meaningful
apology, giving Japan a seat on the council would be a travesty of
justice. Japan could never undo the wrong it committed against us
survivors without first accepting its responsibility and atone for its
actions. I have asked myself often these past 60 years what was it
that caused Japanese soldiers to slaughter thousands of men on the
Bataan march, to shoot them, bayonet them or decapitate them for not
walking fast enough, for not bowing low enough, or for simply wanting
a drink of water?

I have also wondered many times, was it greed that caused
the
companies to allow their employees to beat us with pick-axes, shovels
and hammers, to break our bones, to maim some of us for life or kill
so many by failing to provide us with adequate food or needed medical
care?

But alas, our country's friendship with the Japanese has created an
unwillingness on their part to come to grips with their past and
apologize for their transgressions during their ill-fought campaign.

But now,
this, the 60th anniversary of the end of hostilities, may be
a good time for the Japanese government to come forward and issue the
apology so badly needed to close a said chapter in Japan's history. If
Japan is truly our friend, then as a gesture of friendship, it should
commit itself to restoring its honor by apologizing for placing us
into servitude, stealing our honor and breaking our bodies.

I have learned to
forgive; I have made peace with myself. Now I want
those responsible for my servitude and maltreatment to accept their
responsibility. You see, hating, I have found, destroys us
spiritually, just as the fighting destroyed us bodily.

So I will forgive, if
they will accept their responsibility.

Coming in October 2005

Dr. Tenney is an invited speaker at the National D-Day Museum's International
Conference on WWII being held in New Orleans, 5-9 October. Dr. Tenney will
be speaking on his experiences of the Bataan Death March and as a POW in Japan.
See http://www.ww2conference.org/ for
more information.

March 2003

Dr.
Tenney was in Tokyo for the release of his book in Japanese (the picture to
the left is the cover of the book).

He spoke at a meeting at the Japanese Diet (which included several
members and staff of both Houses) and at the Foreign Correspondents Club of
Japan.

During this trip Dr. Tenney also was invited to a one-on-one discussion
with Motooka-san, the Vice Speaker of the Upper House.

September 2002

Dr. Tenney testified before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee
on Immigration, Border Security and Claims on 25 September 2002 about slave
labor of POWs during WW II and the "Justice for U.S. POWs Act" of 2001. Read
his remarks to Congress at this hearing.

May 2002

2002 is the 60th anniversary of the Bataan Death March. Dr. Tenney reports
that this year's Memorial
Day Concert broadcast on PBS Sunday 26 May will include a tribute to those
who fought on Bataan and former POWs. From their press release:
2002 is the 60th anniversary of the Bataan Death March. Dr. Tenney reports
that this year's Memorial
Day Concert broadcast on PBS Sunday 26 May will include a tribute to those
who fought on Bataan and former POWs. From their press release:

" To open the World War II segment, Ossie Davis describes the swift Pearl
Harbor attack against the backdrop of archival film footage and introduces actor
and decorated war veteran Charles Durning, who shares the memories of Lester
Tenney, a survivor of the Bataan Death March."

Dr. Tenney also reports that he has been asked to place a wreath on the Tomb
of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery this Memorial Day.

From May 2001:

Dr. Les Tenney reports that there should be some coverage of this POW
issue here in the U.S. this coming (2001) memorial day weekend. We don't
know if Dr. Tenney will be featured in all of these media, but he was interviewed
for all of them. As always, one never knows what news events will bump this
topic..

Friday evening, May 25, 2001 -- 20/20 on ABC. Here's what ABC's
20/20 had to say
Monday morning, May 28, 2001 -- the Today Show, NBC
Memorial Day many local TV channels will be able to pick up, free of charge,
a Satellite show of POW issues.
June 17, 2001, Parade Magazine issue in many local Sunday papers.

Tenney's is the first suit to be filed under a state law which
went into effect in July, 1999 giving California courts jurisdiction
to hear World War
II-era slave labor cases and extending the statute of limitations for filing
such suits until December 31, 2010.
For more information contact the
law firm Casey, Gerry, Reed & Schenk

You can purchase Lester Tenney's book "My Hitch in
Hell" in
association
with
Amazon.com